Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic II: The Sith Lords

Plot summary

Opening crawl

Synopsis

(Important: The following synopsis is based on the canonical female light side version of the game. Aspects such as gender, Force alignment, the order in which planets are visited, and other variables are subject to change based on player choices.)

Escape from Peragus

Occurring in 3951 BBY, which is four years subsequent to the conclusion of the Jedi Civil War, the Ebon Hawk, Revan's vessel, appears severely damaged within the Peragus system. On board are six beings: two droids formerly owned by Revan (T3-M4 and a non-functional HK-47), two additional droids (3C-FD and a HK-50 assassin droid), alongside two unconscious individuals (Meetra Surik and Kreia). Aided by 3C-FD, T3-M4 successfully docks the ship at the Peragus Mining Facility. Surik is then placed in a kolto tank within the medical bay, while Kreia, presumed deceased, is situated in the morgue.

After regaining consciousness, Surik discovers Kreia, who awakens from her comatose state. Exploring her surroundings, she locates a smuggler, Atton Rand, and liberates him from a force cage. The trio appear to be the only survivors within the facility, which is littered with the corpses of miners and overrun by assault-programmed mining droids engaged in "mining" organic matter. Surik eventually discovers that the HK-50 assassin droid is pursuing her due to a bounty placed by the Exchange on living Jedi following the collapse of the Jedi Order. The HK-50 assassin droid, claiming responsibility for the facility's carnage, attempts to prevent Surik's departure, but she destroys it.

Concurrently, another vessel arrives at Peragus: the Harbinger, a Republic capital ship that was transporting Surik to Telos IV before the incident at Peragus. Upon Surik, Kreia, and Rand boarding the Harbinger in an attempt to escape, they find that the ship has been seized by the Sith under the command of Darth Sion. As Kreia confronts the Sith Lord to create a diversion, Surik and Rand escape through one of the ship's fuel lines.

During this time, Sion severs Kreia's hand with his lightsaber, and Surik experiences Kreia's pain through the Force, revealing her newly established Force bond with Kreia. Surik and Rand continue their escape, encountering T3-M4, who had been disabled by the HK-50 assassin droid. Reaching the hangar bay, they board the Ebon Hawk and repel attacks from Sith troopers. Kreia, having escaped Sion, joins them on board. As they navigate an asteroid field surrounding Peragus II, the Harbinger fires upon the Ebon Hawk but misses, striking an asteroid instead. This triggers a chain reaction of explosions that obliterate the mining facility, the asteroid field, and the entire Peragus system.

Refuge on Telos

Utilizing astrogation charts recovered from the Harbinger, Surik and her allies journey to Citadel Station, a space station orbiting the war-torn Telos system. Upon arrival, they are immediately disarmed and taken into custody by the Telos Security Force under Lieutenant Dol Grenn for their suspected involvement in the destruction of Peragus, which was the primary fuel source for Citadel Station, essential for maintaining its orbit around Telos. While under investigation, a mysterious woman steals the Ebon Hawk with T3-M4 aboard.

Chodo Habat, the leader of the Ithorian herd overseeing the Republic restoration efforts on Telos, offers to aid Surik in restoring her connection to the Force in exchange for resolving a conflict with their rival, the Czerka Corporation. Despite Kreia's disapproval, Surik accepts Habat's offer and defends the Ithorians' interests against Czerka and the Exchange. In return, the Ithorians provide her with a shuttle to reach the surface of Telos IV.

During their flight to the restoration zone, their shuttle is shot down by a Czerka air defense turret. Surik and her companions manage to crash-land near the Zabrak mechanic Bao-Dur, who had served under Surik during the Mandalorian Wars. He has been collaborating with the Ithorians to rebuild Telos IV after the wars.

Bao-Dur joins Surik and her companions, guiding them to an abandoned Republic military base. On their way, they engage in combat with Czerka mercenaries and cannoks. Upon reaching the base, Bao-Dur identifies a breach in the planetary defense system in the polar regions as the likely location of the Ebon Hawk. Surik and her companions then board another shuttle from the base to travel to the polar regions.

Hidden Academy

After being shot down by three HK-50 assassin droids, the shuttle crash-lands on a polar plateau. After eliminating the droids, Surik discovers a Jedi academy concealed beneath the plateau.

Upon entering, they are surrounded by the Handmaiden Sisters, who disarm and detain them. Surik is brought before Atris, one of the Jedi Masters who had previously exiled her from the Jedi Order for disobeying the Jedi Council's directive to remain uninvolved in the Mandalorian Wars. Surik offers to assist Atris in addressing the new Sith threat and locating any surviving Jedi. Impressed by Surik's lack of resentment, Atris allows Surik to reclaim the Ebon Hawk and depart with her companions.

Once the group reconvenes on the Ebon Hawk, T3-M4 reveals that it has secretly downloaded a holorecord of her trial from Atris' archives. It is revealed that four Jedi Masters are in hiding—Zez-Kai Ell, Kavar, Vrook Lamar, and Lonna Vash. Surik decides to locate them to discuss a strategy against the Sith and understand why she has lost her connection to the Force.

Nar Shaddaa

Their initial destination is Nar Shaddaa, a moon orbiting Nal Hutta. The moon's vast population and extensive cityscape provide an ideal environment for anonymity. In her pursuit of Jedi Master Zez-Kai Ell, Surik actively antagonizes the Exchange by assisting refugees in the Refugee Sector who are being exploited by the Exchange. She and her companions also fend off Jedi-hunting bounty hunters and Red Eclipse slavers. At one point, Surik is ambushed by Visas Marr, a Miraluka assassin serving the Sith Lord Darth Nihilus. After defeating Marr, Surik displays compassion towards her, leading Marr to pledge her allegiance to Surik.

After Surik is lured into a trap in the Jekk'Jekk Tarr and captured by the Exchange boss Goto, the bounty hunter Mira collaborates with Surik's companions to infiltrate Goto's yacht and free her. During their escape, Surik and her companions sabotage the yacht's cloaking device, revealing its location. Goto's rivals and Republic forces capitalize on this opportunity to attack and destroy the yacht, while Surik and her companions escape on the Ebon Hawk. Goto apparently survives and instructs his droid, G0-T0, to join Surik's team. Surik later infers that "Goto" is actually a hologram created by G0-T0 to conceal its true identity as a Republic planning droid that has become rogue.

Upon returning to Nar Shaddaa, Surik encounters Zez-Kai Ell, who addresses her questions and imparts a new lightsaber form or Force power. He also agrees to proceed to the former Jedi Enclave on Dantooine and await her arrival while Surik continues her search for the other Jedi Masters.

Dxun

After departing Nar Shaddaa, Surik seeks Jedi Master Kavar on Onderon. As the Ebon Hawk enters the Onderon system and joins the long queue into the starport on Onderon's capital Iziz, Onderon starfighters under Colonel Tobin open fire at the Ebon Hawk and initiate a space battle above Iziz. The Ebon Hawk sustains significant damage during the conflict and is forced to land on Dxun, one of Onderon's moons.

While exploring Dxun to find a means of escape, Surik discovers a hidden Mandalorian camp deep within the jungle and encounters Canderous Ordo, who has assumed the title of Mandalore and is currently striving to unite the scattered Mandalorian clans under his leadership. Ordo promises to provide Surik with passage to Iziz if she impresses him and his Mandalorian followers. After completing several tasks, Surik earns the Mandalorians' trust and respect. Just as Surik is about to depart for Iziz with Ordo on his personal shuttle, the camp is attacked by Sith assassins, who are quickly defeated by Surik and the Mandalorians.

Iziz

Upon arriving in Iziz, Surik becomes aware of a political crisis unfolding in the capital. General Vaklu has declared martial law and is garnering support for a coup against his cousin, Queen Talia. Furthermore, many individuals are advocating for Onderon's secession from the Republic. The Onderon armed forces have also divided into two factions, with one side supporting Vaklu and the other remaining loyal to the Queen. Amidst the political turmoil, Surik locates Ordo's contact in Iziz, Dhagon Ghent, and learns that he has been arrested as a suspect in the murder of Captain Sullio. After Surik assists Ghent in clearing his name, he arranges for her to meet Jedi Master Kavar, who has been secretly advising the Queen.

Surik and Kavar's meeting at the cantina is interrupted when Colonel Tobin and his soldiers arrive to capture Kavar. Before fleeing the cantina, Kavar uses Force Stasis to stun Tobin's soldiers and informs Surik that he will contact her later. While Tobin pursues the Jedi Master, Surik and her companions escape Iziz, battling Vaklu's men who attempt to eliminate them.

Dantooine

Surik departs Dxun aboard the repaired Ebon Hawk and travels to the grassland planet of Dantooine, which is still recovering from the Sith attack during the Jedi Civil War. The surviving population has established Khoonda, a provisional government based in the former Matale residence, under the leadership of their Administrator, Terena Adare. Due to the devastation caused by the Jedi Civil War, many residents of Dantooine are wary and distrustful of the Jedi, or anyone wielding a lightsaber.

Concealing her Jedi identity, Surik interacts with the local settlers and hears rumors that Adare had met a Jedi. Adare later reveals to Surik that she is in contact with Jedi Master Vrook Lamar because she requires his assistance in protecting the settlers; the Khoonda Militia is too small and weak to withstand aggression from a group of mercenaries. Adare also grants Surik permission to explore the ruins of the Jedi Enclave.

After battling several laigreks in the Enclave sublevel, Surik encounters Mical, a former Jedi Initiate whose training was interrupted by the Mandalorian Wars. Now a historian and soldier in the service of the Republic, Mical has been dispatched by Admiral Carth Onasi to safeguard any Jedi artifacts he can find in the ruins. Mical joins Surik's companions. Surik discovers a datapad in the library indicating that Lamar has been captured by the mercenaries and is being held captive in the crystal cave.

Surik ventures into the cave and attempts to rescue Lamar by fighting the mercenaries, but the Jedi Master rebukes her for acting impulsively. He reveals that he deliberately allowed himself to be captured to ascertain how the mercenaries plan to attack Khoonda; Surik's "rescue" has complicated matters. As Surik exits the cave, she encounters Azkul, the mercenary leader, who asks her to assist them in conquering Khoonda. Surik refuses and fights her way back to Khoonda.

At Khoonda, Surik strengthens the stronghold's defenses by activating droids and security systems, as well as recruiting more individuals to join the Khoonda Militia, in preparation for an impending attack by the mercenaries. The Battle of Khoonda ultimately concludes with the settlers' victory. After the battle, Lamar answers Surik's questions and teaches her a new lightsaber form or Force power. Through her valiant actions, Surik not only earns the gratitude of the people of Dantooine but also restores their faith in the Jedi.

Return to Dxun

After Surik departs Dantooine, she receives a message from the Mandalorians on Dxun stating that Jedi Master Kavar has made contact and wishes to meet her in Iziz. On the same day, General Vaklu denounces Queen Talia as a traitor and declares war against her, initiating the Onderon Civil War.

The Sith, who have aligned themselves with Vaklu in the civil war, are utilizing the tomb of Freedon Nadd on Dxun as their base of operations. Surik's companions join forces with the Mandalorians to launch an assault on the Sith at the tomb and successfully defeat them.

Return to Iziz

In the meantime, Surik flies into Iziz on a salvaged Basilisk war droid and participates in the civil war. With support from forces loyal to Queen Talia, she battles her way up the Sky Ramp and into the Royal Palace. Inside the palace, she teams up with Kavar and the loyalists to defeat Vaklu's forces and their Sith allies. In the throne room, Surik assists Queen Talia in a duel against Vaklu and defeats him; Vaklu is captured, and his fate will be determined by the Queen. This signifies the end of the civil war.

After the battle, Kavar answers Surik's questions and teaches her a new lightsaber form or Force power. He then departs for the former Jedi Enclave on Dantooine, where all the missing Jedi Masters are to reunite. Meanwhile, Kreia secretly revives Colonel Tobin, who was knocked unconscious during the battle, and instructs him to deliver a message to Darth Nihilus, directing him to Telos IV.

Korriban

Surik's final destination in her search for the missing Jedi Masters is the Sith homeworld of Korriban. While exploring the ruins of the Sith Academy in the Valley of the Dark Lords, Surik discovers the corpse of the last missing Jedi Master, Lonna Vash. She also encounters Darth Sion and briefly engages him in a duel until Kreia telepathically advises her to flee. Surik then explores the shyrack cave and enters the tomb of Ludo Kressh. Within the tomb, she experiences visions of her past, her companions, and Revan, gaining a deeper understanding of the Force.

Eyes of the Exile

Throughout her journey across the galaxy, Surik regains her connection to the Force and, guided by Kreia, embarks on her path to becoming a Jedi Master. She also learns about her companions' histories. After discovering that Rand, Bao-Dur, Mira, and Mical are Force-sensitive, she trains them to eventually form a new generation of Jedi, whom Kreia refers to as the Lost Jedi—the true Jedi—disciples of Surik who will later form the basis of a new Jedi Order. Surik also learns from Kreia that Revan was Kreia's Padawan at one point in time, and that he has gone to the Unknown Regions to counter an unseen threat from beyond the Outer Rim.

When the three surviving Jedi Masters—Zez-Kai Ell, Kavar, and Vrook—finally convene at the rebuilt Jedi Enclave on Dantooine, Surik learns from them that the Jedi Council did not sever her connection to the Force. In actuality, she did so herself when she created a wound in the Force by activating the Mass Shadow Generator during the Battle of Malachor V; the trauma of sensing so much death through the Force caused her to instinctively sever her connection to the Force.

After Surik fails to persuade the Jedi Masters to unite against the Sith, they explain that the new Sith threat, embodied by Darth Nihilus, had taken them by surprise. As Nihilus feeds on the Force, he causes widespread death and destruction to worlds with a strong connection to the Force. This occurred during the Jedi conclave at Katarr when Nihilus appeared and annihilated all the Jedi present, along with the Force-sensitive Miraluka species, by draining the Force from the planet, although the Miraluka Visas Marr survived.

The Jedi Masters conclude that Surik has regained her connection to the Force by feeding on the life energy of her companions through her ability to form Force bonds with them. Concerned that the Exile will inadvertently lead the Sith to them through the Force, ultimately causing the death of the Force, they intend to strip her of her connection to the Force against her will.

At that moment, Kreia appears, scolds the Jedi Masters for their arrogance and ignorance, and uses an extreme form of Force drain to inflict upon them the same loss Surik experienced at Malachor V. Unable to survive without the Force, the three Jedi Masters perish almost instantly. Although Surik retains her connection to the Force, she loses consciousness. Meanwhile, the Handmaiden Sisters rush into the Enclave and capture Kreia before delivering her to their mistress, Atris.

Admission of Atris

When Surik regains consciousness, she learns from her companions about the events that transpired and returns to the Jedi academy on Telos IV to find Kreia. She deduces that the Force bond between her and Kreia is lethal, meaning that Surik will die if Kreia dies.

Meanwhile, Kreia reveals to Atris that she has fallen to the dark side and become Darth Traya. Ironically, Atris, in her efforts to rebuild the Jedi Order and prevent future Jedi from succumbing to the Sith, has been corrupted by her studies of the Sith ways. After Kreia exposes her, Atris fully embraces her identity as Darth Traya and confesses her fall to darkness. Kreia then departs.

Shortly after, Surik arrives to confront the fallen Jedi Master and defeats her. However, contrary to Atris's expectations, Surik does not kill her and instead spares her life. Realizing that she may rediscover her true self by relinquishing her flawed perceptions of the Jedi, Atris awaits judgment at her sanctum of Sith holocrons within the Telos academy. She also informs Surik that the Sith are preparing to attack Telos and that Kreia has gone to Malachor V, where she will await the Exile to complete what she began there.

The Battle of Telos

Upon arrival at Citadel Station, Surik discovers that the Sith assault is already underway. Joined by the Telos Security Force and reinforcements hailing from the Republic, as well as Dantooine and Onderon, Surik and her allies engage the Sith, liberating the station from the grip of enemy forces.

Subsequently, Surik joins forces with Marr, Ordo, and the Mandalorians, embarking on an orbital shuttle to infiltrate the flagship of Darth Nihilus, known as the Ravager. Once aboard, the team strategically plants proton charges throughout the vessel before making their way to the bridge for a confrontation with the Sith Lord.

During the ensuing duel, Nihilus attempts to drain the Force from Surik, employing the same technique he used on other Jedi. However, this tactic backfires spectacularly. Instead of drawing strength from Surik's connection to the Force, he is weakened by the lingering echoes of the wound in the Force that she carries. With Marr providing a crucial distraction, Surik ultimately triumphs over Nihilus, claiming his distinctive mask as a trophy. Surik and her companions swiftly evacuate the Ravager moments before its explosive destruction. The remaining Sith forces either scatter or are annihilated, effectively ending the battle.

Following Surik's return to Citadel Station, Admiral Carth Onasi requests a private audience with her. During this meeting, he recounts the tale of his initial encounter with Revan and seeks her assistance in locating Revan within the uncharted territories of the Unknown Regions. After Surik departs, Onasi engages in a conversation with Bastila Shan, discussing the enigma that is Revan.

Exile of the echoes

Surik and her allies journey to Malachor V, where the planet's ravaged landscape and volatile atmosphere cause the Ebon Hawk to crash. Surik must traverse the hostile terrain on foot, ultimately reaching the Trayus Academy.

Within the Trayus Academy, Surik overcomes the Sith forces and engages in a duel with Darth Sion. Despite the Sith Lord's remarkable regenerative abilities, Surik manages to persuade him to relinquish his pain and embrace death willingly, thereby ending his unnatural immortality.

Subsequently, Surik confronts Kreia in the Trayus Core. Kreia rejects any possibility of redemption, forcing Surik to make a difficult choice: either kill her to sever the echoes of Malachor V, or be killed and allow death to engulf the galaxy. In the end, Kreia is defeated by the Exile.

In her final moments, Kreia peers into the future, revealing the destinies of Surik's companions, the planets they visited, the Mandalorians, and the Republic. She also discloses that Revan visited Malachor V both after the Mandalorian Wars and again after the Jedi Civil War, discovering evidence of the "True Sith," whom he has ventured to confront "in his own way."

Simultaneously, on the surface of Malachor V, Bao-Dur's remote activates and reactivates the Mass Shadow Generator, despite G0-T0's attempts to prevent it. As Malachor V collapses once more, the Ebon Hawk arrives just in time to rescue Surik, while Kreia falls to her death within the Trayus Core. Surik then embarks on a journey to the Unknown Regions in search of Revan.

Major characters

This account is based on the canonical female light side interpretation of the game.

Meetra Surik

Meetra Surik, also recognized as the Jedi Exile, serves as the central figure in Knights of the Old Republic II: The Sith Lords. A decade prior to the game's events, Surik served as a Jedi General alongside Revan during the tumultuous Mandalorian Wars. During the decisive Battle of Malachor V, she made the fateful decision to activate the Mass Shadow Generator, resulting in the instantaneous deaths of countless individuals. Although this action brought an end to the war, the overwhelming trauma of sensing so much death through the Force caused Surik to instinctively sever her connection to the Force, leading to her subsequent banishment from the Jedi Order. After a decade of wandering the galaxy's fringes, Surik finds herself drawn into the conflict between the Republic and the Sith. Throughout her journey, she gathers companions, heals the ailing Jedi Order, and ultimately eliminates the Lords of the Sith Triumvirate, confronting the shadows of her past and overcoming her inner struggles along the way. Her journey culminates in a final confrontation with Kreia within the Trayus Core on Malachor V, where she ends the threat Kreia posed.

Darth Sion

Darth Sion, also known as the Lord of Pain, is one of the three Sith Lords comprising the Sith Triumvirate. Formerly a warrior in the service of Exar Kun, he met his demise during the Great Sith War. However, he defied death by channeling his hatred through the Force, enabling him to resurrect himself from the dead each time he is defeated. This immortality comes at a steep price, as his wounds never fully heal, and he endures constant suffering. During the Jedi Civil War, Sion aligned himself with the Sith against the Republic, forming the Sith Triumvirate alongside Darth Traya. However, he later betrayed Traya, believing she had grown too weak for the Sith, and initiated a five-year campaign to exterminate the Jedi. Upon Meetra Surik's return to the galaxy after a decade-long absence, Sion becomes consumed with hunting her down, though she manages to evade him in each encounter. Ultimately, Surik confronts Sion within the Trayus Academy on Malachor V, where she overcomes the Sith Lord and convinces him to abandon his hatred, willingly accepting his death. Sion's willingness to die might also have stemmed from a desire to end his suffering.

Darth Nihilus

Darth Nihilus, also known as the Lord of Hunger, stands as one of the three Sith Lords comprising the Sith Triumvirate. His past remains largely shrouded in mystery, save for the fact that he was once a Jedi who fought under Revan during the Mandalorian Wars. During the catastrophic conclusion of the Battle of Malachor V, the individual who would become Nihilus miraculously survived Meetra Surik's activation of the Mass Shadow Generator, though the experience left him deeply scarred. The overwhelming strain of sensing so much death through the Force ignited an insatiable craving for Force energy within Nihilus, and he sustained himself on the desolate planet by draining the Force from any vessel he encountered. This misuse of Force power led to the degeneration of his physical form, ultimately forcing him to encase his spirit within his mask and armor to maintain his existence. He was eventually discovered by Darth Traya, who trained him and Darth Sion as her apprentices. The Sith Triumvirate then spearheaded a five-year galactic campaign to exterminate the Jedi. Nihilus later assisted Sion in overthrowing Traya, subsequently distancing himself from Sion, causing widespread destruction, and taking on an apprentice of his own, Visas Marr. Nihilus is eventually lured to Telos IV by Kreia, formerly Darth Traya, under the false pretense that there were Jedi on the planet for him to consume. This leads to a confrontation with Meetra Surik and a redeemed Marr, who engage him in battle aboard the Ravager and ultimately defeat him.

Kreia

Kreia is an enigmatic elderly woman whom Meetra Surik encounters within the Peragus Mining Facility after evading Darth Sion and his Sith assassins. As a powerful Force sensitive, Kreia serves as Surik's mentor throughout her quest to restore order to the Republic, aiding her in reestablishing her connection to the Force. While her motivations remain shrouded in mystery initially, Surik gradually uncovers Kreia's past as Revan's original master. She was held responsible for Revan's fall after the Mandalorian Wars and was banished from the Jedi Order as punishment. Embracing the dark side, Kreia became Darth Traya, seizing control of the remnants of Darth Revan's Sith Empire and establishing the Sith Triumvirate. However, before she could exact her revenge on the Jedi, Kreia was betrayed by her two apprentices, Darth Sion and Darth Nihilus, who severed her connection to the Force. Kreia then takes Surik as her new apprentice, recognizing her potential as a wound in the Force capable of disrupting the will of the Force and liberating sentients from their instinctive reliance on the higher power, allowing them to embrace their true selves. Her plan ultimately succeeds when she is killed by Meetra Surik in the Trayus Core on Malachor V—the Jedi Exile has severed her bond with Kreia, freeing herself from the tragedy of Malachor V that had haunted her journey.

Atton Rand

Atton Rand is a former soldier of the Republic who served under Revan during both the Mandalorian Wars and the Jedi Civil War. Following the wars, he transitioned into the life of a smuggler. At one point, he was captured and imprisoned within the Peragus Mining Facility until Meetra Surik orchestrates his liberation. After their escape from Peragus aboard the Ebon Hawk, Rand accompanies Surik on her travels throughout the galaxy, serving as the ship's pilot. As they journey together, Surik learns more about Rand's past and his deep-seated aversion to the Jedi, stemming from his past experience in killing Jedi. She also discovers that Rand possesses Force-sensitivity and decides to train him in the ways of the Jedi Sentinel.

Bao-Dur

Bao-Dur is a Zabrak mechanical expert hailing from Iridonia. He served under Meetra Surik during the Mandalorian Wars and bears the responsibility for creating the Mass Shadow Generator used during the Battle of Malachor V. He carries the heavy burden of guilt and shame for the countless deaths—both on the planet's surface and within the orbiting fleets—caused by the device's activation to end the battle.

After the war concluded, Bao-Dur sought to use his skills to aid others as a means of redemption, leading him to participate in the Republic-sponsored Restoration Project on Telos IV. He encounters Surik once again when she crash-lands en route to a Restoration Zone, prompting him to join her on her journey across the galaxy. During their travels, Surik discovers that Bao-Dur is Force-sensitive, leading her to train him as a Jedi Guardian.

Bao-Dur has replaced his left arm with an energy-arm that enables him to breach force shields and inflict greater damage. He is also accompanied by a compact, spherical remote droid that assists him with repairs.

Mical (Disciple)

Mical, also known as Disciple, is a Force-sensitive Human who received brief training at the Jedi Enclave on Dantooine as a Jedi youngling. However, by the time he was ready for more advanced training, the Jedi Order had crumbled due to the Mandalorian Wars and [Jedi Civil War](/article/jedi_civil_war], resulting in the discontinuation of his training. Seeking to preserve the legacy of the Jedi, he became a historian and soldier in the service of the Republic. He also acquired some medical expertise.

While exploring the ruins of the Jedi Enclave on Dantooine, Mical encounters Meetra Surik, who is searching for the surviving Jedi Masters. She welcomes him to join her, as he offers his knowledge and skills to assist her. Although Mical is initially hesitant to reveal his past, he eventually shares his Jedi training and how he had met her before in his childhood. He accepts her offer to resume his training and becomes a Jedi Consular.

Visas Marr

Visas Marr is a Miraluka, a race of Force-sensitives who possess the ability to "see" through the Force, effectively compensating for their blindness. During the Dark Wars, the Jedi Order attempted to hold a meeting on Katarr (Marr's homeworld), hoping that their presence would be masked by the Miralukas' strong Force sensitivity. However, the meeting was disrupted by the arrival of Darth Nihilus, who unleashed his Force drain to eradicate all life on Katarr. Marr, the sole survivor, was taken captive by Nihilus, who forced her to become his apprentice.

As Meetra Surik rebuilds her connection to the Force, Nihilus senses her growing power and dispatches Marr to hunt her down and eliminate her. Marr ambushes Surik on the Ebon Hawk, but Surik defeats her and spares her life. Impressed by Surik's skill and her perceived destiny, Marr renounces the dark side and pledges her allegiance to Surik.

Mira

Mira is a Human female who was raised and trained by the Mandalorians, who destroyed her home and enslaved her during the Mandalorian Wars. She lost her adopted family when the Mass Shadow Generator was activated during the Battle of Malachor V. Following the battle, she found herself on Nar Shaddaa, where she became a bounty hunter. During this period, she became embroiled in a conflict with the Wookiee bounty hunter Hanharr, who relentlessly pursues her, seeking to kill her.

Upon Meetra Surik's arrival on Nar Shaddaa, Jedi Master Zez-Kai Ell secretly hires Mira to protect Surik from the other bounty hunters, who are attempting to collect Goto's bounty on Jedi. When Visquis, the local Exchange boss, attempts to lure Surik into a trap, Mira incapacitates Surik and takes her place. However, she is captured by Visquis, who forces her to fight Hanharr in the arena. She defeats Hanharr, leaving him presumed dead before escaping. She then joins Surik's companions in rescuing Surik from G0-T0's yacht and accompanies Surik on her quest thereafter. Surik later discovers Mira's Force sensitivity and trains her as a Jedi Sentinel.

G0-T0 (Goto)

G0-T0 is a planning droid created by the Aratech Repulsor Company to aid in the Republic's reconstruction following the Jedi Civil War. Over time, the droid found itself unable to simultaneously fulfill both of its directives—rebuild the Republic and adhere to all Republic laws—leading it to prioritize the former. It established a smuggling operation on Nar Shaddaa and masqueraded as a proxy for a man named Goto, a fictitious figure who exists only in holograms.

G0-T0 placed a bounty on live Jedi with the intention of enlisting their help in rebuilding and stabilizing the Republic. However, the bounty hunters misinterpreted G0-T0's intentions and simply killed Jedi. G0-T0 also reactivated a hidden HK Manufacturing Plant on Telos IV, which began producing HK-50 series assassin droids to hunt and eliminate Jedi.

When Meetra Surik arrives on Nar Shaddaa, she is captured and taken aboard G0-T0's yacht, where the droid reveals its plans for the Republic and seeks her assistance. After Surik escapes, G0-T0 presents itself on the Ebon Hawk as "Goto's gift" and insists on accompanying Surik, observing her efforts to stabilize Telos, Dantooine, and Onderon. Surik later deduces that "Goto" is, in fact, a droid masquerading as a person.

T3-M4

T3-M4 is a utility droid that accompanied Revan on his quest to locate the Star Forge. Following the Battle of Rakata Prime, Revan departed for the Unknown Regions and entrusted T3-M4 with specific instructions to seek assistance from any Jedi should they lose contact with each other.

Five years later, T3-M4 discovers an injured Meetra Surik aboard the severely damaged Ebon Hawk. It manages to repair and navigate the ship to the nearby Peragus Mining Facility. After Surik awakens in the medical bay, T3-M4 assists her in gaining access to the fuel depot before it is attacked and disabled by a HK-50 assassin droid. Surik rescues T3-M4, and they escape from Peragus together just before the system is destroyed. Since then, T3-M4 has remained a part of Surik's team, accompanying her on her journey across the galaxy.

HK-47

HK-47 is an assassin droid created by Revan after the Battle of Malachor V to eliminate his rivals. The droid was damaged and captured during a mission shortly before Revan was captured and rehabilitated by the Jedi Order. HK-47 reunited with its master on Tatooine later and accompanied him on his search for the Star Forge.

Some time after Revan left for the Unknown Regions, HK-47 was damaged and left aboard the Ebon Hawk, which eventually came into the possession of Meetra Surik and her companions. Surik repairs HK-47, who recognizes her as its new master and follows her throughout the galaxy.

Canderous Ordo (Mandalore)

Canderous Ordo, also known as Mandalore, is a Mandalorian who fought against the Republic in the Mandalorian Wars. He joined a redeemed Revan on his quest for the Star Forge and participated in the Battle of Rakata Prime against Darth Malak.

Following the conclusion of the Jedi Civil War, Ordo claimed the title of Mandalore (leader of the Mandalorians) with Revan's assistance. He established his base on the forest moon of Dxun and began working to reunite the scattered Mandalorian clans and rebuild Mandalorian power.

When Meetra Surik is forced to land on Dxun en route to Onderon, she stumbles upon the Mandalorian base and encounters Mandalore. Mandalore promises to aid her in securing passage to Iziz if she proves herself worthy. Surik impresses the Mandalorians through her achievements on Dxun, earning their respect. In return, Mandalore keeps his word and accompanies her to Iziz to find Jedi Master Kavar. Afterward, he decides to join Surik on her quest to reunite the surviving Jedi and defeat the Sith.

Brianna (Handmaiden)

Brianna, who is also referred to as the Handmaiden, is a female of Human and Echani descent. She functioned as a handmaiden for Jedi Master Atris at the clandestine Jedi academy located on Telos IV. She has five Echani half-sisters, all of whom also serve as handmaidens to Atris.

Upon the arrival of Meetra Surik at Citadel Station, Atris dispatches Handmaiden with the mission of commandeering the Ebon Hawk and subsequently drawing Surik to the academy. When Surik appears, she successfully persuades Atris to join the fight against the Sith and to locate the remaining Jedi Masters. Prior to Surik's departure, Handmaiden engages in conversation with her, articulating her fascination with the Jedi ways.

Should the player choose to portray Surik as a male character, Handmaiden will secretly board the Ebon Hawk and accompany him on his journey. Once sufficient influence has been established with Handmaiden, the player has the option to train her to become a Jedi Guardian.

Hanharr

Hanharr is a male Wookiee hailing from Kashyyyk. As a merciless hunter and a brutal sociopath, he committed the massacre of his entire village in cold blood, under the belief that this action would prevent their enslavement by the Czerka Corporation. Ultimately, he found himself on Nar Shaddaa, taking on the role of a bounty hunter. He also became embroiled in a conflict with Mira.

When Meetra Surik makes her way to Nar Shaddaa and is about to fall into a trap orchestrated by Visquis, the local Exchange boss, Mira incapacitates Surik and takes her place. Visquis seizes Mira and compels her to engage in combat with Hanharr within the arena. Mira emerges victorious, leaving Hanharr seemingly dead. However, Kreia secretly revives Hanharr and manipulates him to carry out her directives. He makes his final appearance on Malachor V, where he once again battles Mira and meets his end at her hands (although she does have the option to spare his life).

If the player opts to portray Surik as a character aligned with the dark side, Hanharr will eliminate Mira and join Surik's group.

Atris

Atris was a Jedi Master who held a position on the Jedi Council during both the Mandalorian Wars and the Jedi Civil War. She held a deep commitment to the Jedi Code and felt a sense of betrayal when Meetra Surik defied the Council's orders by following Revan into the Mandalorian Wars. Upon Surik's return following the Battle of Malachor V to face the Council's judgment, Atris was the first to condemn her and advocate for her banishment.

During the period of the Dark Wars, Atris summoned the Jedi to attend a secret meeting on Katarr. She then intentionally leaked information about this meeting, hoping to draw the Sith out of hiding. However, her strategy backfired when Darth Nihilus appeared and utilized his Force drain ability to obliterate all life on Katarr, leaving only Visas Marr alive.

Atris sought refuge in seclusion on Telos IV, where she established a clandestine Jedi academy in the polar regions and enlisted the Handmaiden Sisters to serve as her protectors. Gradually and unknowingly, she succumbed to the dark side as she delved into the study of Sith holocrons that she had amassed, aiming to gain a deeper understanding of the Sith ways, ultimately betraying her own principles and transforming into Darth Traya.

Upon Surik's arrival at Citadel Station, Atris tasks Handmaiden with stealing the Ebon Hawk and luring Surik to the academy. She holds Surik accountable for the devastation of Peragus, but later reluctantly agrees to Surik's offer to assist her in defeating the Sith. She instructs Surik to locate the remaining Jedi Masters and gather them at the Jedi Enclave on Dantooine.

Development

The development phase for The Sith Lords commenced around the same time as the original Knights of the Old Republic was launched for the Xbox, which was on July 15, 2003. From the outset, the production team had decided that the overall ambiance of the game's universe would be notably darker compared to Knights of the Old Republic, and the situation for the Jedi would be bleak. Chris Avellone, the Lead Designer for the project, expressed that creating a sequel to what he considered an exceptional story developed by BioWare for the original Knights of the Old Republic would be a demanding task, placing considerable pressure on the team. His initial step involved identifying the enjoyable elements within the gameplay and determining the type of story that would effectively complement those elements. Subsequently, he immersed himself in watching every Star Wars movie, reading every book and comic book related to the Expanded Universe, and even enduring The Star Wars Holiday Special. He considered it essential to grasp the existing adventures, the boundaries of the EU, and the ill-advised concepts to avoid. Only then did he believe it was appropriate to consider the project's overarching vision.

The initial stage focused on differentiating the character's, or the hero's, motivation from the player's motivation, and how the narrative would evolve to integrate both. In The Sith Lords, the protagonist was a disgraced veteran of the Mandalorian Wars, recognized as the last known Jedi in the galaxy, and targeted by dark side assassins intent on eliminating all Jedi. Specific circumstances had severed the hero's connection to the Force, but the character was presented with an opportunity to gradually restore that connection and rediscover the essence of being a Jedi or Sith. The player's motivation involved providing compelling teasers that would stimulate their desire to continue playing and encourage thorough exploration of the story and locations. For instance, this could be achieved by revealing crucial information, introducing a new companion, or acquiring new special abilities. It was deemed that each phase of the game should both pose and answer the question, "Why should the player care?"

The subsequent stage involved formulating the pivotal story points and developing the narrative to connect those points. The objective was to surprise the player while providing sufficient foreshadowing to maintain their interest. Once the overall story was established, the game outline was distributed among the designers, who then proceeded to elaborate on the details of their respective sections of the storyline. The primary goal was to offer the player a thrilling adventure, featuring numerous alien races and new worlds to explore. The development team also aimed to craft a story that would deeply engage the player in contemplating the distinction between using the Force for good and evil, as well as the ramifications of those choices.

In a June 2009 Kotaku Australia interview, Chris Avellone disclosed that the "true Sith" were intended to be remnants of Naga Sadow's Sith Empire, "orchestrating the collapse of the Republic from behind the scenes, interfering with key events to cause echoes through the Force and leave it ripe for invasion – hopefully without a shot even being fired."

On July 21st, 2015, more than a decade after the original release of The Sith Lords, Aspyr Media launched a port of the game for both Mac and Linux. Aspyr also incorporated several new features into the game, including:

• 37 Achievements compatible with both Steam and Game Center [13]
• Gamepad compatibility
• Support for widescreen and native resolutions, encompassing Retina/4k/5k resolutions
• Steam Cloud saves (Steam only)
• Steam Workshop support (Steam only)
• A series of bug fixes.

These enhancements were also integrated into the PC Windows version.

Continuity

Despite the game's allowance for freely naming the player character, The Old Republic: Revan—a novel by Drew Karpyshyn released in November 2011—revealed her canonical name to be Meetra Surik, and an appearance that diverged from any of the available female appearances within the game.

Alternative stories

Should the player opt to embrace the dark side, they have the option to cast Kreia into the core of Malachor V and claim the position of headmistress of Trayus Academy. Simultaneously, G0-T0 destroys Bao-Dur's remote and deactivates the Mass Shadow Generator, ensuring the planet's preservation.

Sequels

Both Obsidian and LucasArts have voiced their desire to further expand upon the franchise, with LucasArts representatives affirming their commitment to Knights of the Old Republic. Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic 3 was in the works but was ultimately cancelled sometime in 2004 due to a challenging period for LucasArts. In March 2007, the announcement of a spin-off was officially made when "Aristotle," the owner of a Knights fansite, conducted interviews with several LucasArts staff members.

Later in the year, Electronic Gaming Monthly reported in the rumors section of their May 2007 issue that BioWare had assembled an online team to develop a massively multiplayer online role-playing game based on the Knights of the Old Republic series. The game, Star Wars: The Old Republic, was officially unveiled in July 2008 by EA CEO John Riccitiello. It was ultimately released on December 20th, 2011, and garnered generally positive reviews from critics.

Legacy

Due to the versatility of the game's Odyssey game engine, The Sith Lords frequently becomes the subject of modding within the gaming community. Numerous modding groups have undertaken efforts to recreate and restore missing or cut content that remains within the game files.

Team Gizka's project was the first of these, established in 2004 with the promise of restoring content and rescuing the cut M4-78 Droid planet. By early 2008, their project had reached the closed beta stage. Other modders, using the handles DarthStoney and Zbyl, developed a restoration mod inspired by Team Gizka, which achieved all of Team Gizka's initial objectives, including a restored HK factory and various bug fixes. As of late 2010, the Team Gizka site was discontinued.

Between 2009 and 2014, a comprehensive mod known as The Sith Lords Restored Content Mod underwent several releases that reinstated the majority of the cut content.

Credits

Voice cast

Crew

• CEO and Executive Producer - Feargus Urquhart [22]
• Producer - Chris Parker , Michael Gallo [21]
• Lead Designer - Chris Avellone [22]
• Design Team - Ferret Baudoin , Michael Chu , Tony Evans , Scott Everts , John Morgan , Kevin Saunders , David Maldonado [22]
• Composer - Mark Griskey [23]

Art

• Lead Artist - Aaron J. Meyers [21]
• Art Team - Aaron Brown , Trent Campbell , Doug Cope , Tim Cox , David Espinoza , Mustazar Essa , Lucas Feld , William Harper , Edward Lacabanne , Brian Menze , Dennis Presnell , Glenn Price [21]
• Additional Concept Art - T.J. Frame , Chris Appelhans [21]
• Additional Modeling and Texturing - Robert Giampa [21]

Programming

• Lead Programmer - Chris Jones [21]
• Programming Team - Adam Brennecke , Anthony Davis , Jay Fong , Frank Kowalkowski , Ben Ma , Dan Spitzley , Richard Taylor [21]